Sandiganbayan junks Arroyo’s request to attend brother’s 40th day after death

MANILA, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan on Wednesday denied the motion of detained former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for another furlough to attend the 40th day commemoration of her brother’s death and inurnment rites on September 19.

In its ruling, the first division of the anti-graft court sided with the prosecution’s opposition not to grant Arroyo’s request to attend her late brother, Arturo de la Rosa Macapagal’s final rites.

The prosecution said in their opposition that Arroyo “cannot be allowed the full enjoyment of her rights, be it civil or political.”

“The court is not inclined to grant the accused-movant’s motion… wherefore, in light of all the foregoing, the accused-movant’s motion for leave to attend the 40th Day Mass, Inurnment Rites and Post-inurnment Prayers for Arturo de la Rosa Macapagal… is hereby denied for lack of merit,” the resolution read.

Last September 8, Arroyo submitted a three-page motion asking the court to allow her a 4-hour furlough exclusive of travel time to and from Veterans Memorial and Medical Center on September 19.

Arroyo requested to also attend Mass for her late brother at the Heritage Memorial Park on the same day. The inurnment of ashes was supposed to take place last August 15 but his family rescheduled the rite to coincide with the 40th day of his death.

Macapagal, son of late President Diosdado Macapagal to his first wife Purita de la Rosa, died of stage four prostate cancer last August 10.

This is the second time that the anti-graft court denied Arroyo’s plea this year.

Last August 13, the Sandiganbayan's Fifth Division allowed Arroyo to attend her brother's burial, but her request to attend the ninth day novena Mass for Macapagal was denied.

Arroyo faces a plunder case which stemmed from the alleged misuse of P366-million intelligence funds of the state lottery firm Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office during her term as president from 2007 to 2010. She has been under hospital arrest since 2012.